


The Duties of Adults

by BeccaStareyes



Series: Five Stages of Aerich/Tazendra [3]
Category: Dragaera - Steven Brust
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-23
Updated: 2012-12-23
Packaged: 2017-11-22 02:35:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/604865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaStareyes/pseuds/BeccaStareyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Tazendra discovers duty isn't always fun and violence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Duties of Adults

**Author's Note:**

> Set shortly after The Phoenix Guards. Written for the five stages: theme adulthood.

It was, perhaps, a bit more complicated than Aerich imagined to restore Tazendra's titles, but not much. His testimony was accepted by the House, affirming that the former Baron and Baroness of Daavya had been ordered to secure his safety before defense of their holdings… or the honor and pleasure a pair of Dzurlords may get by holding off an army. 

The barony had remained as part of the general holdings of the House of the Dzur, seized when the former Baron and Baroness were removed from the house posthumously. Fifty years was not so long for it to have been sold back to the Empire or gifted to another noble, which made it a simple matter to reaffirm the natural succession of Tazendra to her father's place. Her Highness Princess Sennya even agreed to witness Tazendra's formal oath to him as her liege-lord, as well as her one to the Empire… which needed to be reaffirmed in the presence of His Majesty and the Orb, a matter far more routine than the last time the both of them had been called into His Majesty's presence.

The complications came later. After taking leave from their friends in the capital, Aerich and Tazendra -- accompanied by Mica -- made the journey to Arylle, and Aerich graciously offered to accompany Tazendra to Daavya as she formally took possession of her ancestral lands. "After all," he reminded her, "it is the responsibility of a lord to know the state of those lands held by his vassals." 

"Of course, my lord duke."

Aerich nodded. "My lady baroness." It was not strictly necessary for that degree of formality, and yet, Aerich found that both he and Tazendra were fond of their new titles and the restoration of family honor they represented. Consequently, they had been using them far more than friends might need to, as had Khaavren and Pel when they had been together. 

The final leagues of the ride to Daavya had Tazendra growing clearly excited on her return home, pointing out landmarks to Aerich and Mica, and attempting to tell stories of her childhood as they rode. "That is the stream in which I nearly dropped my good dagger," she explained. "And, if I am not mistaken, that rock marks a village of farmers who provided the best cheeses for our table." 

They were met at the gates of Castle Daavya by the steward who had maintained the estate -- and the barony -- for the years between Tazendra's parents' deaths and this current day. He bowed to them, and proceeded to direct servants to assist in stabling the horses. "Would you prefer refreshment, my lady, my lord, or do you wish to tour the house and grounds?" 

"It was not so long a ride," Tazendra answered. "Let us get straight to business." 

The steward proceeded to the tour, while speaking of the business of running the barony. Tazendra continued her own narrative of remembered things from her childhood, but more subdued as she was continually interrupting the steward, who was polite as an Issola and did not indicate he was displeased by Tazendra's unintentional refusal to acknowledge matters he clearly thought more important than childhood stories. And, yet, the weight of the matter seemed to still even Tazendra, and Aerich noticed she got the curious look on her face when confronted with a problem that was not easily solved by challenging the offender to a duel, a sort of struggle between boredom and puzzlement. He remembered that, when they had lived with Khaavren and Pel, she had often allowed others to set her portion of the household expenses, insisting she had no head for sums. Given her studies of sorcery, Aerich would rather believe she had no interest in sums. 

When they paused for luncheon, while the steward stopped in the kitchen to converse with the head chef and Mica and the house servants engaged in their own negotiation of roles, he cleared his throat. "My good baroness, you look unwell."

"Bah, it is nothing. Only… blood of the Horse, Aerich, if I had known becoming a baroness would be so boring, I would nearly have stayed in the Guard with Khaavren." 

"Then, if I may offer some advice."

"I welcome it. You are quite skilled at advice."

"Your duty as a peer is to rule Daavya and your vassals, and to maintain such laws and facilities as myself, as your Duke, your House and His Majesty require of you. However… not all peers are suited, or are trained, to the management of an estate." 

Tazendra nodded, reaching for her water glass. "That is certainly true."

"In which case, may I suggest you retain the services of a steward; perhaps the one who has been so graciously attempting to educate us on the status of the barony?"

"You are wise, as always," Tazendra said. "I believe that will be something of a relief to the steward as well."

"I nearly agree. Though, I dare say, there may be matters such as the barony's defenses that you may find more interesting than road maintenance and taxation." 

"In fact, I had some ideas on the very matter that will require a trip to the battlements after lunch."


End file.
